We are planning an 8 week western trip from SW Ohio. Our route in general is as follows. South through KY. and TN. and then west on I-40 with our first real stop in Santa Fe where we intend to spend several days. From there we will slowly work our way towards Las Vegas ( Lake Mead, Hoover Dam). After visiting with friends near Long Beach we will skirt around LA and return to the coast north of there coming up on the south side of San Francisco and then to Napa Valley. Again following the coast up to Redwod NP, then up through OR. and WA. we will stay in the Olympic NP area. From there we will visit the Seattle area, then on to Butte MT to visit family. Our way home from there is yet undecided. Two years ago we were in Yellowstone and across WY and South Dakota, so we're thinking south through WY to Denver. Since we are traveling over such a large area dates for reservations seem almost impossible to determine farther out then just a few days. Any advice recomendations (campgrounds,restaurants,things to see) would be appreciated.

Sounds wonderful. Recommendations: Vinyard RV park in Vacaville, near Napa, older park but very well kept. Petaluma KOA just outside of San Francisco, I think it is one of the nicest KOAs, along with Circle of Pines KOA in Williams near the Grand Canyon, and Salt Lake City KOA near Temple Square. Also posibly along your route; FlyingFlags RV Resort in Beulton, near Solvang.
Enjoy what sounds like a wonderful trip.
Happy Trails.

In Las Vegas, Sam's Town on Boulder Hwy looked good. We stayed at the Air Force Base but went to Sam's Town Casino. Drove by the RV Park. Narrow sites but well positioned and nice landscaping. Level paved sites. Very reasonable rates.
For the Redwood Trees, we stayed at Ancient Redwoods RV Park on Avenue of the Giants in Redcrest, CA. Awesome little park with gift shop. In Crescent City, we stayed at the KOA. It was "ok". In Oregon, we stayed at Seven Feathers RV Resort across the freeway from the Casino. Very, very nice RV Resort. Didn't want to leave. I-5 exit 99. www.sevenfeathersrvresort.com

I always try for Twin Knobs campground in Daniel Boone NF (just off I-64 and near Murphyboro, KY) when we head east. West of Oklahoma City are two campgrounds I would suggest; Black Kettle National Grassland has Black Kettle cg (just north of Cheyenne, OK) with sites tucked in among some glorious Walnut trees; and McClellan Creek NG has a campground with some electric hook-ups. FYI: The rest stops along this stretch of roadway are a wonder. If you stay on I-40 give the Coconino NF's campgrounds around Flagstaff a look. Or you might consider discovering Oak Creek Canyon (you could take US 89A south thru the Canyon to Sedona and pick-up I-17 north back to I-40). I recommend Pine Flat cg - it has the best tasting water in Arizona. If you take the Coast Highway up Big Sur, the Los Padres NF has a couple of nice campgrounds (Kirk Creek and Plaskett) but be prepared to pay dearly for gasoline along that stretch of road and you'll have to adjust for the extra time to make that drive. If you take I-80 west thru WY, consider stopping at Vedauwoo cg in the Medicine Bow NF (please say hello to the moose for me). For details on any of these campgrounds, take a look at www.forestcamping.com.

My thoughts on reservations is, unless you are camping on a lake, river, ocean, or some other body of water over a weekend, making reservations way ahead are not necessary, at least not in my comfort zone. As was remarked earlier, just wing it and enjoy.

My thoughts on reservations is, unless you are camping on a lake, river, ocean, or some other body of water over a weekend, making reservations way ahead are not necessary, at least not in my comfort zone. As was remarked earlier, just wing it and enjoy.

\
I agree. We took a similar trip in 2007, only we left from Atlanta. Two months and 6,000 miles, the only reservation we made ahead was in Yellowstone. Out of all the nights we spent in campgrounds, only once did we find ourselves in a iffy spot. It wasn't awful, but wouldn't have been my first choice except we had been on the road for almost 12 hours and I was utterly exhausted. I will try to remember not to do that again.

"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956